Building Brains from the Beginning

What if there was an easy way to help all kids succeed in school? It requires no special equipment or knowledge or skills. It doesn’t require a program or a teacher. You don’t have to go anywhere or change your routine. It doesn’t even cost money.

But first, some questions. What ages are the most important in determining school success? When does your child’s brain develop the most? When do children learn crucial language skills that prepare them for a life of reading and communicating?

The answer is before they go to school: When they are born. Infants. Babies. Toddlers. Preschoolers.

So what’s the secret to preparing your kid for school? All you need to know is how to talk.

We know we have to talk to our babies so they learn our language. Exposure to language helps babies learn sounds, words, and grammar. They begin to recognize patterns and eventually learn to form their own words and sentences.

Talking to your baby develops their brains by stimulating the areas responsible for language processing. This in turn stimulates other brain areas. So the more words your baby hears, the more neural connections are formed. This helps them develop crucial cognitive skills like problem-solving, memory, and attention.

And talking to your baby isn’t just about the words themselves. It’s about the tone of your voice, the expressions on your face, and the interaction you share. These interactions help babies learn about emotions, build trust, and develop a sense of security.

Our schools are currently seeing a decline in children’s readiness when they start school. There are lots of theories on why: COVID, more people working at home and isolating their kids, and the increase in kid’s use of screens. (I could probably do a whole series on screens – for now let’s just remember that the recommended use of screens for children under two is NONE.) But regardless of the why, the what remains the same.

We have formed a community task force to educate and remind Fayette County that the preschool years are crucial to a child’s lifetime success. We want to help equip parents with resources they need to succeed and to that end we are excited to share BuildingBrains.org! We’ve got age-appropriate activities, tips and advice, developmental milestones and reliable information grounded in the latest research on child development.

So parents, grandparents, friends, strangers – incorporate language into your everyday interactions. Here are a few simple ideas:

• Narrate your day: Talk about what you’re doing, from changing a diaper to making dinner.
• Read aloud: Even if your baby doesn’t understand the words, they’ll benefit from hearing your voice and seeing the pictures.
• Sing songs and rhymes: These are a fun way to introduce language and rhythm.
• Respond to their babbling: Engage in “conversations” with your baby, even if they’re just making sounds.

We are preparing printed materials to put in libraries, doctors’ offices, etc. Our children and community thank you for all you do to share these resources, promote interaction and help prepare our children for a lifetime of success.

So there’s your homework. I want to thank those of you who have responded and commented. In response, I want to hear more about two specific topics: First, for those of you who have experience with the IEP process, I’d love to hear your experiences and your tips for other parents. Second, we read a lot about teachers these days – job satisfaction, stress, retention and recruitment – send me your teacher stories.

This is all about learning about our schools and kids together. Send your comments, questions, and ideas to [email protected].